Salt and Pepper, Philadelphia PA 10/05/06
The last night of my recent trip to Philly, friends M. and L. watched the kids so I could go with my in laws to Salt and Pepper, the 6th and Fitzwater restaurant owned by a family friend. It’s a small space, with a brief menu that changes seasonally. The open kitchen with its single chef takes up about 1/4 of the pale-green tiled room. Lemons and pears were decorations, as well as ingredients.
I had the salad with pears and fried shallots, which was a good blend of textures and flavors, and dressed with just the right amount of vinaigrette. My entree was perfectly grilled diver scallops atop roasted pumpkin. For dessert, we sampled all three choices,the chocolate cake with mocha cream, the warm Frangelli’s donut with creme fraiche and berries, and a creme brulee with fresh Black Mission figs. The chocolate cake was merely good; it lacked the assertive taste that I prefer in a chocolate dessert. The figs had a rich, wine-y flavor. The donut, though, was a standout. It was sweet, simple, and local. Salt & Pepper is a neighborhood sweetheart, rather than a destination place (only street parking is available), but the space and menu reflect that it knows its strengths, and isn’t trying to be anything it’s not.